OF THE POLAR SEA. 263 
lieved by the Warrior. I was an unwilling wit- 
ness of the preparation of my dinner by the Indian 
women. They cut into pieces a portion of fat 
meat, using for that purpose a knife and their 
teeth. It was boiled in a kettle, and served in a 
platter made of birch bark, from which, being 
dirty, they had peeled the surface. However, 
the flavour of good moose meat will survive any 
process that it undergoes in their hands, except 
smoking. 
Having provided myself with some drawing 
materials, I amused the Indians with a sketch of 
the interior of the tent and its inhabitants. ~ 
oa old woman, who was relating with great volubility 
an account of some quarrel with the traders at 
Cumberland House, broke off from her narration 
when she perceived my design; supposing, per- 
haps, that I was employing some charm against 
her; for the Indians have been taught a super- 
natural dread of particular pictures. One of the 
young men drew, with a piece of charcoal, a figure 
resembling a frog, on the side of the tent, and by 
_ significantly pointing at me, excited peals of mer- 
riment from his companions. The caricature was 
comic; but I soon fixed their attention, by pro- 
ducing my pocket compass, and affecting it with 
a knife, They have great curiosity, which might 
easily be directed to the attainment of useful 
